WHAT IS THE OPEN BOOK PROJECT?

Phillipa Chong, Assistant Professor at McMaster University and author of Inside the Critics’ Circle: Book Reviewing in Uncertain Times, is conducting research to write a book focusing on authors’ experiences of the publishing process.

Being a writer is challenging work.  And it doesn’t follow a straight-forward career path. Phillipa wants to interview people about their experience as authors from beginning to end.  This includes how you decided you wanted to be a writer, the writing process, working editors, and experiences with marketing and publicity when your book was out. She is especially interested in capturing the experiences of all types of writers: men, women, and authors of different ethnic and racial backgrounds, and different genres. 

Participating involves writing responses to a series of questions via a secure online portal.  It is estimated that the process will take approximately 90 minutes.  But you can save progress and complete the questions over several days. You can withdraw from the study at any time and skip any questions. And your participation will be kept completely private and anonymized.  Participants will be compensated $50 and receive a copy of the study’s findings.

What ARE THE GOALS OF THE STUDY?

The goals of this study are (1) to document the challenges faced by different authors, and (2) to provide insights on how the publishing industry can better support Canada’s literary talents.

What will happen during the study?

The study will take place online. If you agree to participate, you will be directed to a McMaster University-approved survey and research data collection platform called Qualtrics. The study consists of open-ended survey questions about demographics and your experiences as a writer. The study should take approximately 90 minutes to complete.  But you can save your progress and return to the survey anytime before [typically 1 week from start date].

You will receive $50 for your time. You will have to provide an email address to receive an e-transfer for your participation, but this email address will not be associated in any way with your survey responses. Your answers will be collected securely and anonymously on Qualtrics , a survey and research data collection platform approved by the McMaster University Ethics Board.

Are there any risks to doing this study?

The risks involved in participating in this study are minimal. You may feel uncomfortable with sharing some personal stories or reflecting on instances where you feel your publishing journey has been unpleasant.  Or you may worry about others learning about the stories you share.

Please rest assured that:

(1)   You do not need to answer questions that you do not want to answer or that make you feel uncomfortable. You can also stop and return to the survey at any time.

(2)   Your participation is anonymous: this means that your identity is not tied to your answers. And any potentially identifying information regarding yourself or third-parties (e.g., book content, names of third parties, publishers, etc) that may be shared in your answers will be kept private and anonymized.

 To learn more about this study, particularly in terms of any risks or harms associated with the study, how confidentiality and anonymity will be handled, withdrawal procedures, incentives that are promised, how to obtain information about the study’s results, how to find helpful resources should any questions or tasks make you uncomfortable or upset etc., please read the Letter of Information <<A hyperlink will be added to the LOI - Phillipa - should this be a word or PDF document? or a webpage?>>

What if I change my mind?

You can withdraw from the study for whatever reason even after signing the consent form or part-way through the study. You can also skip some of the questions and still be in the study.  

If you decide to withdraw, there will be no consequences to you. You can simply delete any of your responses and submit a blank survey. You will still receive compensation. However, any information that is submitted cannot be deleted because all data is anonymized at point of collection.

DOES THIS STUDY HAVE ETHICS CLEARANCE?

Yes! This study has been reviewed and cleared by the McMaster Research Ethics Board (MREB#5053).

If you have any concerns or questions about your rights as a participant or about the way the study is being conducted, please contact:

McMaster Research Ethics Board Secretariat
Telephone 1-(905) 525-9140 ext. 23142
E-mail: ethicsoffice@mcmaster.ca

I’m THINKING ABOUT PARTICIPATING!

WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?

The next step is to read the letter of information, confirm that you’ve read it, and decide whether you want to consent to participate in the study.